Over the River and Through the Woods
by kb18142
Summary: Human!AU. Everyone is headed over to Sam and Gabe's for Thanksgiving dinner. Bring your appetite and your best one-liners for the inevitable family squabbles! Established Sabriel and Destiel. Possible spoilers for Seasons 7 and 8. Rated T for cursing and suggestive language. Warnings for Fluff and crack!


Sam Winchester looked at the table and stifled a laugh.

"Gabriel, I think we have more than enough dessert," he said, looking at the three pies - apple, lemon-blueberry and pumpkin - and two cakes - a devil's food cake and a strawberry cake with vanilla frosting - that adorned the dessert table.

There were also assorted sugar cookies decorated to resemble leaves, pumpkins and turkeys. There were brownies and lemon tarts and everything was stacked high on cake plates - modern and vintage - that Gabriel collected.

Gabriel grinned. "You worry about the rest of the meal; dessert is my territory."

Gabriel Novak was a lawyer by trade, but outside of work, baking was his passion. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas he went all out and baked as though there was no tomorrow. He was famous (or infamous, depending on who you talked to) in his office for bringing in treats for his co-workers to sample.

"Yeah, well your territory is going to expand everyone's waistline," Sam said.

Sam was in charge of the actual meal, and he too enjoyed cooking for the holidays. He and Gabriel were both lawyers - Sam in Patent Law; Gabriel in the District Attorney's office .They had met in a cooking class for singles where they had been partnered together.

Gabriel put on expression of mock hurt. Then gave Sam a devious grin and snapped his fingers.

"Just for that - I'm going to make German Chocolate cake."

"No!" Sam exclaimed. German Chocolate cake was his one weakness, and his mind imagined the amount of exercise he'd have to do after several helpings of food and German Chocolate cake.

"There isn't time!" Sam exclaimed. "And I need the oven for the dressing!"

"Too late! I'm off to the grocery store for more ingredients!"

"You are not leaving me here to deal with our guests alone! Besides, Dean and Castiel will be here any minute now!"

"If I know my brother - and I do - he'll be running late because your brother can't keep his hands to himself!"

"First of all, Gabe, T.M.I.! I did not need that picture in my head...!"

"Now, don't be jealous, Sam- a-lam - you know we can have our sexy times the minute our families are out of the house." Gabriel gave him a leer. "Or you know, we could have a quickie..."

"No! Absolutely not! Last year the dressing burned and Dean is still going on about it!"

"Oh, so he's over me answering the door in your boxer shorts?"

"He's decided that never happened - and stop changing the subject! Secondly, we have more than enough food!"

"That was a pretty lame second point."

"Whatever. You're keeping your ass in this house!"

"I love it when you get all bossy, Samsquatch." Gabriel batted his eyelashes at Sam. "My ass likes it too." He turned and wiggled it at Sam. "I think I'm going to have to mix up a special batch of caramel sauce for the two of us for later."

Sam resolved to think of things like slime molds to keep his mind off the salacious images that were trying to pop into his head. When that didn't work, he thought of more drastic things - things like roadkill laying by the side of the highway.

Ah, that works, he thought.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was looking through the cabinets for the last of his secret stash of Halloween candy.

"I don't know how you eat all that stuff and not have diabetes" Sam said, as he put the pan of cornbread dressing in the oven.

"Don't hate, Sammykins. Aha! Found you, you delicious, chocolate bastard!" Gabriel unwrapped a mini Snickers bar and popped it into his mouth. "Mmm!" Gabriel closed his eyes and swayed a bit.

"You're going to ruin your appetite," Sam said, giving Gabriel an impressive bitchface.

Gabriel opened his eyes. He held up his right hand. "I solemnly swear to eat at least one serving of broccoli, brussels sprouts or whatever healthy green shit you see fit to put on my plate."

"Uh huh," Sam replied, crossing his arms. "Now try that without your fingers crossed behind your back.'

"What? You don't trust me?"

Sam pointed at something behind Gabriel. "Toaster."

Gabriel turned and looked at the toaster. "Damn. Something told me to get the white toaster and not the metallic one."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Castiel was looking askance at Dean.

"Dean, a Metallica tee shirt is not appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner!"

"Cas, for the last time, I'm not wearing a suit!"

"Then at least wear that dress shirt and those slacks I got you on sale last month!"

"It's a holiday, Cas! I want to be comfortable!"

"You wear a tee shirt and jeans every day at work! I'd like you to look nice once in awhile!"

Dean gave Castiel a grin, and leaned over and whispered, "That's not what you said last night…"

Castiel gave him an exasperated look. "Dean…"

Castiel Novak had met Dean Winchester at B&E Auto Parts and Salvage when Castiel's car had developed some issues - namely, parts somehow went missing from his car and needed replacing. Dean had given the tax accountant a ride home, which lead to a date, and the two had been inseparable ever since.

"And you wear a suit everyday, Cas! I can't believe you don't want to relax for one day!"

"I am relaxed, Dean! This is my casual suit!"

"Well, it looks exactly like your other suits, Cas!"

Castiel let out a sigh. "Fine; wear whatever you want. See if I care."

"Thanks; I will. And I'll be the most comfortable person there. And when you get pie on your suit, you'll be wishing you'd worn something washable like me."

"And when everyone else is wearing nice clothes, don't start whispering to me about how I should haven't let you out of the house looking like that."

"When have I ever done that?"

"Last year."

"No I didn't!"

"You did. Five minutes after we walked in. You were like, why is everyone dressed up? Why did you let me walk out of the house dressed like this?"

Dean glared at Castiel. "Okay, fine - but that was before I ate all that pie and had to loosen my belt! Then I was glad I was wearing jeans and a tee shirt!"

""I give up," Castiel replied. "Just hurry up so we're not late and you start driving like a maniac."

"Let me find my boots. And I don't want to get there too early. Last year Sam and your brother weren't even dressed. I thought I'd have to spork my eyes out. Thank god there was pie."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

"Bobby! Landsakes, aren't you ready yet?" Ellen exclaimed.

"Quit yelling at me, woman! I'm almost done!"

"And they say women take forever to get ready," Ellen grumbled as she put on her earrings.

The door to the bathroom opened, and Bobby stepped out, wearing a medium blue shirt over dark blue slacks.

"Well, it wouldn't take me so long to get ready if I didn't have to share the bathroom with a girl!" Bobby huffed.

Ellen snorted. "I don't take that long in the bathroom."

"Please! I thought you'd fallen in and drowned!"

"Oh, poor you," Ellen said.

"Hey! What's taking so long up there?" Jo yelled. "You two better not be kissing again!"

Bobby went to the bedroom door and yelled out, "What we do in our own house is our business, missy!"

"Eww!" came the reply from Jo.

"I swear that girl sets foot in the house for five minutes and she starts being Little Miss Bossypants again," Bobby said.

Ellen laughed. "That's what happens when you let a kid set you up on a date."

Bobby came over and kissed the top of Ellen's head. She swatted at him.

"Don't mess up my hair!" she laughed.

"You look beautiful," Bobby said.

"Why thank you! You don't look too bad yourself. Rather distinguished, in fact."

Bobby snorted. "Come on; let's get there before Dean eats up all the pie. He was halfway through the apple pie by the time we got there last year. Traumatic incident, my ass."

"Hey!" Jo yelled upstairs. "I just got a call from Gabe's brother! He says their car broke down just outside of town, and I'm going to pick them up in the Jeep! I'll see you at Sam and Gabe's house!"

Bobby and Ellen heard the front door slam, and then the sound of Jo's Jeep Cherokee starting up.

"Well, we know that she didn't have time to sabotage their car, at least," Ellen said.

"How much you want to bet that car develops some interesting problems?" Bobby replied. "Once a matchmaker; always a matchmaker."

Ellen laughed. "You know that's even money, Singer. She's got her heart set on seeing Becky with that Chuck fellow."

"Well, at least she's not after Gabe's brother, Luce, again. Don't know if I could stand having a son-in-law named after the Devil!"

"Who says she's not still after him?"

"Balls."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Meanwhile, off on the side of Route 59, just outside of Lawrence, Kansas.

"How much do you want to bet that Jo shows up with that friend of hers, Becky?" Luce asked.

"Oh God," said Chuck.

"That female is definitely annoying," Uriel said.

"Shut up," Luce said. "No one asked you."

"He wasn't talking about the annoying blonde that YOU like," Michael said. "He was talking about the other annoying blonde."

Luce glared at his brother. "I swear, next year I'm driving my own car."

"You keep saying that, but you always end up with us. Why is that?" Uriel asked.

"Because every year I think that I might have an enjoyable time with you assclowns, but then every year I'm disappointed," Luce replied.

"You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result," Michael said.

"Save your diagnosis for someone who cares," Luce answered.

"Psychiatry isn't even a real discipline," Raphael added.

"No one asked for your opinion," Michael snapped.

Chuck looked around at the angry faces in the limousine. He was so glad he had managed to put in his ear buds without anyone noticing, and was listening to "Welcome to the Jungle."

Then one of his ear buds was yanked out, and Luce grinned at him.

"Welcome to the party, pal!" Luce yelled.

"You're an ass!" Michael yelled.

Luce stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"I need a freaking drink," Chuck moaned.

"Get carsick in here and I will tear you a new asshole," Raphael said.

"Classy," Luce said.

Chuck climbed out off the limousine, drawing out one of the small bottles of vodka he snuck out of Michael's plane. He loved his cousins, but damn if they weren't hell on his sanity. They grown up together; they'd gone to college together. Michael was a psychiatrist; Raphael was a surgeon; Uriel owned a security company that protected the super wealthy; Luce was one of the stars of a fairly popular television show about two brothers crossing the country in their classic car, solving crimes.

Hell, I even wrote a few spec scripts for it, Chuck thought. Not that they'd used any of his ideas. His forte was his midlist series of paranormal novels called "Supernatural", so of course, his scripts tended to work in some sort of paranormal angle. Alas, Luce's show - "67 Impala" - was not paranormal in nature, so of course the events would end up being debunked by the end.

Which may be why they don't buy my scripts. Chuck let out a sigh.

Most times,Chuck was pretty sanguine about how his life had turned out. But today, being on a plane - in first class, no less - and now, being in a limousine - albeit a broken one - was making him have a bit of an inferiority complex.

Luce got out of the limo and stood next to Chuck and whipped out a silver flask from his jacket.

"Come to torture me some more?" Chuck asked.

"Nah; you're too easy a target."

"Thanks."

"Cheers." Luce raised his flask and Chuck raised his mini bottle of vodka.

"It ends, you know,"Luce said.

"What?"

"It ends. The show's in its fifth year. How much longer can it go on? Don't get me wrong; I love it, but I'm a realist. It's going to end and then I'll be just another actor looking for work."

"Anybody ever mention you're depressing when you're drunk?" Chuck replied.

Luce snorted. "Not even drunk. I'm just letting you know that all of this -" and he waved the hand holding the flask at the broken down limo - "it doesn't last."

"I would just love to have a best selling novel - a series of novels - so I can stop worrying about - well, everything," Chuck admitted. "I'd love to have J.K. Rowling/Stephanie Meyer/E.L. James money and be able to kick back for even take my rich cousins and rich friends out in my limousine once in awhile. Of course, mine will actually work..."

The two cousins shared a laugh, then the beep! beep! beep! of horn got their attention.

"Finally!" Luce exclaimed.

He went over to where Jo was pulling her Jeep next to the limousine. And right behind her Jeep was their driver in the tow-truck.

"Hello, boys!" she called out.

"I call shotgun!" Chuck called out.

"What? You ass!" Luce yelled. "I was the one who phoned Jo!"

"And I called shotgun. Tough luck."

Michael, Uriel and Raphael got out of the limo.

"Last chance, boys!" Jo called out. " I want a drumstick before Dean eats them both!"

"I am not riding in that," Raphael said.

"Neither am I," said Uriel.

"Fine - you can ride in the tow truck," Jo said.

"I say we ride with the blonde," Raphael said.

Michael looked at Uriel.

"It's late, and I'm starving; I'm going with them," said Michael, heading towards the jeep.

"Drumsticks do sound good," Uriel said, following him.

"I prefer the breast," Raphael said.

"You would," Uriel said, rolling his eyes.

Jo waited until they were all in the Jeep before peeling off, kicking up pebbles as she took off down the road.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

"Damn, Sam-a-lam; you clean up nicely," Gabriel said, walking into the bedroom, sipping red wine from a glass.

Gabriel was admiring the sight of Sam in a pressed white shirt and blue dress slacks.

Sam had just put down the phone receiver and was tying his tie.

"Dean and Castiel are on their way. Cas said, and I quote, Dean would prefer that everyone not be rolling around naked when we arrive."

Gabriel did a spit take. Luckily, he missed Sam's shirt and tie, and hit the bedroom wall instead.

There was a moment where both Sam and Gabriel looked at the wall, then at each other.

"I'll go get a rag," Gabriel said.

Sam doubled over with laughter

"Oh, I'm getting you back for that,"Gabriel said. "You and my annoying younger brother."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Meanwhile, back on the other side of town, Dean didn't find Castiel's remark funny in the least.

"Oh, great, Cas! Now I need to spork my ears!" Dean exclaimed.

Castiel smiled. "Then I'd have to rush you to the ER and you wouldn't be able to have Gabriel's apple pie."

"Screw that! I'm having pie even if I'm bleeding from the ears!"

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Meanwhile, on another road, Anna and her kick-ass '78 Trans-Am were making their way to Sam and Gabriel's house.

"I can't believe you're eating another hot dog," Anna said to Adam.

"Says the woman who had to get two packs of chocolate pound cake from the gas station," Adam replied.

"That's your third hot dog!"

"One of my hot dogs was for breakfast..."

"And the other two were…?"

"One was second breakfast. And this one is elevensies." He finished the last bite of his hot dog and grinned at her.

"Nerd."

"Chocoholic."

"Wonder if Gabriel made those brownies he made last year?" Anna let out a moan. "God, I've been thinking about those since"

"I'm going to have a big plate of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and drown it in gravy."

"Oh my god! And the chocolate cake! That was to die for!"

"And okay, the brussels sprouts. They were pretty good too."

Anna snorted.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Better not let Dean hear you say that."

"Oh please - Dean will be too busy fighting Jo for a drumstick to notice me eating brussels sprouts."

Anna turned on the radio to get the traffic report, then turned to the classic rock station.

"Oh come on!" Adam exclaimed. "Can't we listen to something by bands not old enough to be my grandparents?"

"Driver picks the tunes; shotgun shuts his cakehole," Anna replied.

"It's scary how much you sound like Dean sometimes. Thank god you're cuter than he is."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

It was almost a tie between Dean and Castiel, and Ellen and Bobby for who would arrive at Sam and Gabe's door first - but Dean took a shortcut through the service road, and the Impala arrived just seconds before the Singer Salvage truck.

Dean did a little victory dance on the lawn, then hustled up the stairs and rang the doorbell.

"Hello, Cas," Ellen said, giving him a kiss on the cheek as he stopped to let her go up the stairs first/

"Hello, Ellen. Hello, Bobby," Castiel replied.

"I see Dean's still refusing to wear grownup clothes," Ellen smirked.

"Hey! I'm standing right over here; listening to every word you say!" Dean replied.

"Was it necessary for you to cut through the alley?" Bobby asked.

"Hell, yeah! There was pie involved! And I want a drumstick before Jo eats them both!"

"Funny; she said the same thing about you," Ellen replied.

"Oh yeah? Hey! Where is Goldilocks?"

"You'd better not let her hear you call her that, idgit," Bobby said. "I'm not playing referee this year."

Dean rang the doorbell again. Then he banged on the door. "Sam! Gabe! There are starving people out here - Come on!"

There were footsteps, and Dean covered his eyes with his hand, in case Sam and Gabe were having a "repeat performance" of the year before.

"Please tell me you're decent," Dean said.

"Of course, Dean-o," Gabriel replied. "And we even have clothes on!"

Dean peeked between his fingers. Then he put his hand down.

"TMI, Gabriel. Where's the food?"

"Dean," Castiel admonished. "It's customary to greet our hosts before consuming their food."

"Fine - Hi, Sam! Hi, Gabriel! Now move!"

Castiel rolled his eyes and reached out to dope slap the back of Dean's head.

"You'll have to pardon Dean," Castiel said. "I love him, but he's an idiot."

"Who didn't know that already?" Sam replied. "Good to see you, Cas."

"Likewise, Sam."

Sam and Gabriel moved out of the doorway to let their guests in, and Sam called out, "Word of warning, Cas - Gabe is out to - oof!"

A sharp jab by Gabriel cut off the rest of Sam's sentence.

"Ixnay on the arningway, Sammy! Or you're sleeping on the couch!" Gabriel shouted.

"I take it that Gabriel is planning a trick?" Castiel asked.

"Hey! What are we, chopped liver?" Ellen shouted. "Where's our greeting?"

"Sorry, Ellen," Sam said, hugging her, then giving Bobby a hug as well, albeit with a manly clap on the shoulder as well.

"You look good, kid," Bobby said.

"Thanks," Sam said. "Let me take your coats and get you something to drink."

"Now that's the boy I raised," Bobby said, smiling.

Meanwhile, Dean was eyeing the dessert table, and Cas was making sure that Dean didn't cut into a pie before dinner was served.

"Come on, Cas! It's not like they're going to run out!" Dean whined.

"You ate half a pie last year, Dean! You promised that you'd eat some food this year!"

"Okay, where's the turkey?"

"And vegetables!"

"No! That was under duress! Gabriel, you're a lawyer - you tell him!"

"Hey! I'm a lawyer!" Sam yelled from behind the bar.

"You're a patent lawyer! Gabriel's the kind of lawyer who deals with douchebags who force people into doing things! And I can't be held responsible for a promise made while Cas is sitting on my head! Am I right?"

"I dunno, Dean-o. Depends on what Cas was doing on your head," Gabriel said with a smirk.

Dean and Castiel both went beet red.

"That didn't come out right," Dean said.

Whereupon Sam started laughing. Then Gabriel, Ellen and Bobby started laughing. Castiel ducked his head and let out a little snort of laughter.

Dean punched Cas in the arm. "You know what I meant!"

Gabriel handed Dean a bottle of beer. "Dean's right - Castiel, you can't go sitting on your boyfriend's head to make him eat vegetables."

"Thank you!" Dean exclaimed.

Castiel gave Gabriel a hard look. "Of course, you two would agree with each other."

"Hey, the law is the law. You can't force people into eating vegetables," Gabriel said.

"As long as you realize that doesn't let you out of your promise, Gabriel" Sam said, as he handed Ellen and Bobby their glasses of Jack Daniels.

"What?" Dean asked. "You mean Sam got you to promise to eat rabbit food? Dude - say it ain't so!"

"Yeah, yeah; what can I say? Whatever the Samsquatch wants."

"I'm just trying to keep you around for awhile," Sam said, heading for the kitchen.

"Chick flick!" Dean called after him. Looking at Gabriel, he said, "Dude you are so whipped."

Gabriel grinned. "Don't I know it."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Jo pulled up behind Bobby's truck, and practically jumped out of the Jeep while it was still running.

She turned off the ignition and yelled, "Next time, call someone else to pick you people up!"

She slammed the door, and stalked up the walkway.

Ungrateful bastards! she thought. Raphael and Michael and Uriel had done nothing but make sarcastic remarks about her Jeep the entire drive, and Luce had done nothing but bait them the entire time.

"Jo, wait!" Luce called out.

She ignored him and mashed the doorbell hard once, then twice.

"Hold your horses!" Dean yelled out. He answered the door.

"You'd better not have eaten all the drumsticks," Jo said, pushing past him.

"And Happy Thanksgiving to you too," Dean said. "Why are your panties in a twist?"

"Because I had to drive a pack of jerks here! Where's the mashed potatoes?"

Dean grinned. "Sam says no food until everyone is here."

"Oh really? We'll see about that!" Jo replied.

Luce came into the house and Dean nodded at him.

"Novak," Dean said.

"Winchester," Luce said. nodding back.

At least Luce had approved of his relationship with Castiel - although, Dean thought, the bastard prolly did it because it pissed his brother Michael off to no end.

Screw the both of them - Cas and I love each other, and Cas doesn't care that I've got nothing but a G.E.D. and a can-do attitude, Dean thought. They all can kiss my sweet ass, for all I care.

"Ah, Winchester," Michael said, as he came to the door. "Could you direct me to the bathroom? I need to clean up after my long trip."

Dean wanted to wipe the condescending smirks that Michael, Raphael and Uriel were giving him right off their faces. But he promised himself that he would get along with Castiel's annoying brother and cousins for at least one day out of the year.

"Toilet's down the hall and to the left," Dean said. "Same place it was last year."

Dean couldn't help but enjoy the annoyed looks that they gave him as they headed down to bathroom. He really did enjoy rankling them.

Dean almost closed the door right in Chuck's face.

"Sorry, Chuck - didn't see you standing there," Dean said.

"No problem; Hey, you haven't seen Becky, have you?"

Dean grinned and clapped Chuck on the shoulder.

"Becky's not coming this year. Apparently, she got a little too flirty with Sam, and Gabe banned her from the house."

Chuck cheered up immediately. "Thanks, Dean!"

Dean shut the door behind Chuck. "Doesn't mean Jo doesn't have someone else lined up for you!"

"You're kidding, right? Aww, come on, man! Tell me you're kidding!" Chuck whined.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

"And they just kept going on about how cold it was in the Jeep, and couldn't I go any faster and surely I could afford something better than this!" Jo exclaimed, waving around her glass of wine.

"Those bastards," Gabriel murmured. "Drink your wine, sweetheart."

"I mean, I could have just ignored the call and left them on the side of the road, you know? Next time I'm going to leave them on the side of the road!"

"You really should," Gabriel said. "My brothers and my cousins are real assholes. Well, Chuck is okay..." He took a sip of wine.

"And I thought Luce was better than that, but no! He's just egging them on! Your brother is cute, Gabe, but God! Sometimes he's a great big bag of dicks!"

Gabriel snorted wine out his nose.

"'l'll go get a towel," he said. He got one from the drawer by the sink and wiped his face, then looked down at himself. "I think this shirt is a goner. I'm going to change. You keep drinking your wine."

Gabriel walked into the living room and made the "need to change my shirt" signal to Sam. Sam nodded and Gabriel went upstairs.

When he finished changing his clothes, he heard the slam of a car door and looked outside. Anna and Adam were walking up the walkway, laughing and horsing around. Gabriel grinned. He was glad to see that the youngest Winchester was finding some measure of happiness with his sister - and that Anna was finding some happiness with Adam. It wasn't easy being the only girl in a family of brothers - especially when her brothers were so much older than she was.

Gabriel hurried downstairs when the doorbell rang. When he got downstairs, Sam was welcoming Anna and Adam.

"Great! Everyone's here!" Dean yelled. "Time to eat!"

"I'm with Tapeworm on that one," Jo said, waving her glass.

Ellen reached over and took the glass from her. :Baby girl, what did I tell you about drinking on an empty stomach?"

"I'm fine!" Jo exclaimed.

"Uh huh, someone needs carbs badly!" Gabriel said, coming over and pulling Jo up. "Sam, I know you want to wait till everyone is here, but we've got starving guests!"

"What Shorty said!" Dean yelled. "Let's eat!"

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

To say that Sam was house proud would be an understatement. And the dining room was the room he was most proud of.

When he and Gabriel had decided to buy the house, the dining room had been the typical, dark, formal room that most dining rooms were. But Sam had come up with the idea to turn the room into a place that he and Gabriel would love to eat in even when they had no guests.

The first thing was to install floor to ceiling windows to let the sunshine in. This gave them a beautiful view of Sam's vegetable garden and Gabriel's fruit trees.

Sam and Gabriel rarely took vacations, so they both had wanted a home that would keep them occupied with their various pursuits like gardening (both of them), cooking (Sam) and baking (Gabriel). Hence, the huge garden and the fully stocked kitchen.

The dining room was their part- time office as well as a dining room. Sam and Gabe each kept their work in two armoires that stood against one wall of the room, and the dining table was really their two desks pushed together.

The guests sat on folding chairs, while Sam and Gabe sat in their own chairs at the head of the table. Gabriel had gotten the tablecloth from a talented designer named Kali, who he had helped when her business had been threatened by some would- be mobsters. Gabriel had simply sicced the real mob on them (via a few of his street informants), and no one messed with Kali again.

Sam had seen some of the fabrics she made in her work shop and had been enamored of beautiful hand-embroidered tablecloth of leaves on a champagne-beige background. Kali had come out personally to measure the two tables to make certain that tablecloth would be the right size and hang down properly. She had also embroidered vines twisting among the leaves and pomegranates and apples.

"Symbols of growth, of prosperity," Kali had said when she had shown them the finished tablecloth. "Of hope and of joy. And this pattern is all your own. No one else shall have it. I burned all my sketches the moment it was completed to my satisfaction."

Sam later admitted to Gabriel that he had teared up when Kali had said the tablecloth pattern would be theirs alone.

"It just makes me feel good to know that this is ours, you know? Just like this house is ours. We made this together."

Gabriel had kissed Sam's hair and whispered, "You bring me hope and joy."

And now, Gabriel got to see Sam's face light up with delight as he slid open the doors to the dining room. The room wasn't very large compared to the number of guests they had (and it was why the dessert table was in the living room), but everyone oohed and aahed at the sight of all the dishes laid out on the table.

There was dressing, brussels sprouts, green beans with fried onions and slivered almonds, cranberry sauce cooked in a reduction of grand marnier, steamed broccoli, cauliflower with a cheese sauce (on the side), pearl onions in a rosemary and sage cream sauce and a fresh green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, with Sam's homemade thousand island dressing. Gabriel had baked dinner rolls and cornbread from scratch.

Everyone took their plates and filled up with whatever sides they wanted as Sam brought in the turkey.

The turkey was a twenty-five pound monster that had to be cut-up and cooked outside on the grill, after having been brined in sea salt and water. The grill was a brick and mortar design that Sam had built - okay, with help from Bobby and Dean. Gabriel had provided plenty of sweet tea and lemonade (also sweets) to the workers.

Sam carried the turkey in and set it in place of honor near the middle of the table, beside the stuffing and the cranberry.

"I know where I'm sitting!" Jo yelled as she climbed in a chair in front of the turkey.

"Me too!" Dean yelled back, as he took the chair beside her.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Sam had to admit that their guests were a lot happier once they were stuffing their faces with food.

Jo and Dean each had a drumstick, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and - in Dean's case - apple pie. Jo was eating daintily compared to Dean, but she was still managing to tuck into a fair amount of food.

Adam had drowned his plate in gravy, but at least Sam hadn't had to convince him to eat some brussels sprouts.

"And he even tried the green beans," Sam said to Gabe.

"Are you sure Dean's not adopted?" Gabriel asked.

"Hey!"

"Just kidding, Dean-o!"

Gabriel had managed to keep his promise and had eaten salad and broccoli before jogging out into the living room to cut a giant slice of chocolate cake for himself, topped by two sugar cookies.

"Is there ice cream to go with this pie, Gabe?" Dean asked.

"I made pumpkin ice cream..."

"Watch my plate, Cas!" Dean yelled as he jumped up from his chair.

"I'll get the ice cream," Cas said, pushing Dean back into his seat.

"I want at least four scoops!" Dean called out to Cas as he went into the kitchen. Looking down at his plate, he said, "I need more pie."

Dean got up and took his plate to the dessert table in the living room.

Anna was coming out of the living room with a half-eaten brownie in her hand. There was another one, on her plate.

"Gabriel, these brownies are incredible!"

"Thanks, sis! I know you like them, so I made them."

"Sam, this turkey is incredible," Ellen said. "Where did you learn to cook like this, because it sure wasn't from Bobby!"

"Hey!" Bobby exclaimed.

Sam chuckled. "Actually, it's Bobby's recipe, except for brining the turkey."

"You're gonna start brining your turkey, Mister," Ellen said.

"It's a fad and I'm not doing it," Bobby replied. "Good job, kid."

Gabriel sat next to Sam at the head of the table. Sam put his hand on Gabriel's knee, and leaned over to talk to him - "You're right - I would have rather waited, but seeing everyone like this? This is worth it."

Gabriel grinned. "And it has the added bonus of pissing off my uncle whenever he gets here!"

Michael, Raphael and Uriel were sitting at the other end of the table, whispering to themselves. Occasionally one of them would laugh, but they weren't interacting with anyone else.

Chuck and Luce were sitting opposite each other - Chuck near Castiel, and Luce next to Jo. Chuck hadn't come up for air since tucking into his plate. but he seemed to be having the time of his life.

Luce, on the other hand, looked miserable, and only picked at his food.

"I think my brother has blown his chances with Jo," Gabe whispered.

"Good, He's too old for her anyway," Sam muttered.

Gabe raised an eyebrow. "Need I remind you how much older I am than you?"

"We're different!"

"All the robbing the cradle jokes I get, not to mention the snide comments about what is a tall, drink of water like you doing with a runty little peanut like me?"

"You're not that runty."

The telephone rang, and Gabriel said, "Saved by the bell, Samsquatch."

He got up and answered the phone.

A loud whoop sounded from the kitchen, and Sam leaned back in his chair to see what Gabriel was doing.

He could see Gabriel doing a little dance in the kitchen.

"Excuse me," he said to their guests, and headed for the kitchen. "Gabe? What's going on?"

There was some whispering, then Sam let out a whoop as well.

"You two better not be planning anything in there!" Dean yelled.

Gabriel came out holding a bottle of champagne, followed by Sam. Both of them were grinning.

"Just some good news," Gabriel said, popping the cork.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

Gabriel tapped the side of his glass with his spoon.

"Okay, everybody - now that you've gotten most the food in your stomachs, we can now proceed to the portion of the evening where we list everything we're thankful for. As you know, this tradition was started when Sam said last year that making everyone wait to eat was too cruel even for him..."

"Gabriel..."

"Okay, okay... He said that it would be kinder to let everyone eat first, then we could list everything we were thankful for and everyone would be too stuffed to run away..."

"I raised that boy right," Bobby said.

Dean and Anna both clapped and whistled.

Gabriel held up his hands for quiet. "Anyway, now comes the portion of the evening where you pay for your supper. So let me go first and list the things I'm thankful for."

He took a breath and let it out. "First of all, I'm thankful my wonderful mate, Sam. Before I met him, I was a bitter bachelor who never thought I'd ever find the love of my life. Who knew that the love of my life would be so young and hot?"

Sam facepalmed.

"Secondly, I'm grateful for this home that we've built together. Everyday I come home from work and I feel happy to be home. Growing up, I looked for a place to belong where I was loved and accepted. I thought I had to leave home to find that. Coming back to this town - it was hard. But I learned what a wise man told me - family isn't necessarily blood." Gabriel looked at Bobby and smiled. "And now I'm going to stop talking."

Gabriel sat down.

Sam looked at him and patted his shoulder, and said, "You forgot something."

"Oh hell," Gabriel said, standing up again. "It's going to be in the newspaper - my boss is retiring at the beginning of the year and I'll be the acting district attorney!"

The table broke out in applause. Gabriel bowed then sat down again.

Dean yelled, "But can you fix my parking tickets?"

Gabriel snorted and nudged Sam.

Sam stood up. He cleared his throat.

"Okay - I'm grateful for a lot this year. First of all, for Gabriel..."

"Your well-heeled, well-h-" Gabriel began.

Sam clapped a hand over Gabriel's mouth. "When he's not saying completely inappropriate things, he's the most wonderful man I've ever known..."

"Mwak Koo," Gabriel said.

"What?" Sam took his hand from Gabriel's mouth.

"I said, Thank You!"

Sam grinned. "And I may not have been bitter, jaded and middle aged..."

"Watch it, son," Bobby said. "If Gabe's middle-aged, then I'm at death's door!"

"...when I met Gabriel, but I was pretty sure it was going to be a while before I met the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And I found him in cooking class, baking cakes. And being annoying - but! Less annoying than the guy who was previously my partner in class. Man I hated that guy. What was his name? Something with a Z... Zed? Anyway...And when Gabe asked me if I wanted to be his partner, I jumped at the chance. And then Gabe asked me if I wanted to get coffee after class, and I said yes. I said yes, and he was the one. I keep thinking, what if I'd turned him down, because he was annoying? But I didn't. And I'm thankful for that."

Sam sat down.

"Chick flick," Dean coughed. "Chick flick."

Castiel stood up and smiled at Dean.

"Now you're in for it," Jo said to Dean.

But Dean was smiling at Cas, and not paying attention to Jo at all.

"Well, Dean and I have news that we're grateful for as well," Castiel said. "Our application was accepted and we're going to adopt a baby boy."

"Oh my God!" Sam exclaimed. "It went through? And you didn't tell me? Dean, I'm going to kill you, man!"

Dean dug in his pocket his wallet. "And wait til you see him, Sammy!"

Sam took a look at the picture of Dean and Castiel holding a dark haired baby boy.

"Oh my God, Dean! He's got Cas' hair!"

"Lemme see!" Gabriel exclaimed, yanking the wallet out of Sam's hand.

Adam crowded around - so did Anna, Jo and Ellen.

"Aw, look at that little guy!" Jo squealed.

"Dude, he totally has Cas' hair," Adam said.

"He's so cute!" Anna and Ellen both exclaimed.

"Castiel, you are not buying him a trenchcoat," Gabriel said.

Castiel looked confused. "But you bought me one when I was a child."

"It was for Halloween! I thought dressing you like Columbo would be cute!"

"Really?" Bobby asked, taking the picture from Gabriel.. "Huh; he does have Cas' hair. Cute little guy."

"Dean, I am so happy for you and Cas!" Sam exclaimed.

Dean was grinning as Sam bear hugged him. "I know, right? We're gonna have little Rufus or Gordon running around the salvage yard soon!"

"Dean, we are not naming him Rufus or Gordon," Castiel said, giving Dean a long-suffering look. "He already has a name - Jesse."

"Dude, my kid is not having the same name as some cheating ass douchebag! Who the hell cheats on Sandra Bullock, for crying out loud?"

"Rufus? Gordon?" Gabriel asked.

"What? They're manly names!" Dean exclaimed. "Rufus is Bobby's best friend, and..."

"Wasn't Gordon the jerk you had a crush on in high school, Dean?" Sam asked, frowning.

"Wait, what?" Dean looked at Sam. "What?"

Castiel gave Dean a look that could have peeled paint.

"Then he's definitely not being named Gordon," Castiel said.

"Cas, I swear - I didn't remember that until Sam said it!" Dean exclaimed.

"Not cool Dean-o...Trying to name your kid after an ex..." Gabriel tsk-tsked.

"He wasn't an ex!" Dean glared at Sam. "This is your fault!"

Sam laughed and tried to give his best "Who? Me?" look.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?" Michael said from the end of the table. "We're supposed to happy that Castiel is now going to be supporting a mechanic _and_ a baby?"

The glare that Castiel turned on Michael could have annihilated a city. "Hey, Assbutt! That's _my_ mechanic you're talking about!"

And then Castiel picked up a dinner roll and threw it, hitting Michael right in the nose.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

"Ow!" Michael yelled.

"Castiel," Luce said, standing up. "Did you just hit my brother in the face with a dinner roll?"

Castiel looked Luce in the eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I did."

"Good. Carry on," he said, heading for the dessert table.

"I'm going to have you arrested!" Michael yelled.

"As the acting District Attorney for this area, I will refuse to hear the case. And if it ever goes to trial, I know tons of public defenders who'd be glad to defend you, Cassy," Gabriel said.

"I can sue him in civil court," Michael replied.

"You will do nothing of the kind," Raphael said.

Everyone turned at looked at him.

"I don't like the idea of Castiel with this... person anymore than you do, but I like the idea of this family's name being dragged through the mud even less," Raphael finished. So if Castiel wants to play house with his paramour and play at having a family, then it's..."

"His name is Dean," Castiel said. "He is the love of my life and the father of my child. You would do well to remember that. Because he is not going anywhere, and neither am I." He took Dean's hand in his.

"And if you want to be invited back here next year," Gabriel said, "You'll suck it up and pretend to be civil to one another." Gabriel snickered. "Hey, Sam! I made a funny!"

Sam gave Gabriel a "thumbs up".

"And if you don't want to get hit again next year, you'll do more than pretend," Jo said.

"Thanks, Goldilocks," Dean said.

"No problem, Tapeworm."

"How dare you talk to us like that," Raphael said.

"Oh, we dare," Gabriel answered. "And if you don't like it, you can leave."

Michael sneered and looked at Sam. "Samuel, I had hoped that you would be a better influence on my brother… After all, you seem so civilized compare to your own brother..."

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out," Sam said.

"I wanna jump you so badly right now," Gabriel said to Sam.

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

The mood was lightened the minute that Michael, Raphael and Uriel were picked up by taxi and taken to their hotel.

"Well, now that the Legion of Doom is gone, let's get the real party started! Let's light this candle!" Gabriel exclaimed.

"I'm with short stack on that one!" Dean exclaimed, holding up a bottle of beer to Gabriel.

Gabriel took his own beer bottle and clinked Dean's bottle.

Castiel shook his head.

"It's nine o'clock, Dean," Castiel said. "We should get home."

"Gabe, I'm exhausted - I've been cooking since three a.m." Sam said.

"And I drove six hours to get here," Anna said, letting out a yawn.

"Yeah, normally I'm up for free beer, but I'm kinda tired," Adam said. "We'd better go to the motel."

"Guess I'd better call a cab, too, " Chuck said.

"No problem," Jo said, "I can take you and Luce on the way home."

"Like hell you are," Ellen said. "You're more than a little tipsy, young lady."

"I'll drive," Luce said.

"Who says I want you driving my Jeep?" Jo asked. But she put the keys in his outstretched hand anyway. "Put a scratch on my baby and I'll kick you in the ass."

"Yes, ma'am," Luce said, smiling.

"Spoilsport," Gabriel said to Castiel.

Castiel shrugged his shoulders.

Gabriel went and started handing coats out of the closet.

Handing Luce his jacket, he said, "You know, if you had half a brain, you'd ask Jo out. Once she's sobered up, that is. You'd be an idiot to let her get away."

"Are you giving me dating advice, Gabriel? Because, really, before you met Sam..."

"Hey! We're not talking about me! I'm just saying... never mind. No one makes you do anything you don't want to do."

"Who says I don't want to go out with Jo?"

Gabriel looked at Luce. "You knew! You knew she liked you!

"I had a feeling. And I figured it was why you kept inviting me back…" Luce grinned at Gabriel, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Gabriel."

"Anytime, bro."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

At long last, their guests had left for their hotels, and Sam and Gabriel had their house to themse

"Who'd have thunk it?" Gabriel asked, as he climbed into bed next to Sam. "My baby brother is adopting a baby of his own. They grow up so fast!" He wiped away an imaginary tear.

"You idiot," Sam murmured. "Go to sleep."

Gabriel snuggled up to Sam, who pulled him next to his chest. Gabriel smiled and closed his eyes.

"Hey, Sam?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we'll get a kid of our own someday? I think I'd like that."

"I'd like that too," Sam said. "But the way we are, right now? It's pretty good too."

"Yeah, you're right." Gabriel grinned. "Okay, so we get to be cool uncles for a couple of years, then hot dads. Works for me."

Sam let out a snort. "Sounds like a plan."

**SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN SPN**

**A/N: I started this story last Thanksgiving, and never got it finished. I was determined to get it finished this year.**

**The traditional Thanksgiving song has been recorded as both "Over the River and Through the Wood" and "Over the River and Through the Woods". Of course, I chose the latter as my title.**

**And YES, I will get back to work on "Team Earth"!**

**Happy Thanksgiving, EVERYONE!**


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